Determinants of 2,000 m rowing ergometer performance in elite rowers
Ingham, Stephen A. Whyte, Gregory P. Jones, K.
Ingham, Stephen A.
Whyte, Gregory P.
Jones, K.
Editors
Other contributors
Affiliation
Epub Date
Issue Date
2002
Submitted date
Alternative
Abstract
This study examined the physiological determinants of performance during rowing over 2,000 m on an ergometer in finalists from World Championship rowing or sculling competitions from all categories of competion rowing (19 male and 13 female heavyweight, 4 male and 5 female lightweight). Discontinuous incremental rowing to exhaustion established the blood lactate threshold, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max)and power at VO2max; five maximal strokes assessed maximal force, maximal power and stroke length. These results were compared to maximal speed during a 2,000 m ergometer time trial. The strongest correlations were for power at VO2max, maximal power and maximal force (r=0.95; P<0.001). Correlations were also observed for VO2max (r=0.88, P<0.001) and oxygen consumption (VO2) at the blood lactate threshold (r=0.87, P=0.001). The physiological variables were included in a stepwise regression analysis to predict performance speed (metres per second). The resultant model included power at VO2max, VO2 at the blood lactate threshold, power at the 4 mmolÆl–1 concentration of blood lactate and maximal power which together explained 98% of the variance in the rowing performance over 2,000 m on an ergometer. The model was validated in 18 elite rowers, producing limits of agreement from –0.006 to 0.098 mÆs–1 for speed of rowing over 2,000 m on the ergometer, equivalent to times of – 1.5 to 6.9 s (–0.41% to 1.85%). Together, power at VO2max, VO2 at the blood lactate threshold, power at 4 mmolÆl–1 blood lactate concentration and maximal power could be used to predict rowing performance.
Citation
European Journal of Applied Physiology, 88 (3):243-246
Publisher
Research Unit
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Embedded videos
Type
Journal article
Language
en
Description
Series/Report no.
ISSN
1439-6319